Showing 46–54 of 475 results
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Counseling Theories Reflection
$0.00Counseling Theories: Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Focused Brief Therapy
CNDV 5311 Individual Counseling Theories
Final Course Project:
Compare and contrast those theories and application to your professional setting (e.g., school, agency). Provide a reflection piece that will be the beginning of your understanding of a personal theory of counseling
Final Course Project (200 points)
For the final project, students compare and contrast three primary theories useful in school and agency settings: Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy. The course project should be 10-15 pages and will be submitted in Week 5 as the key assessment to TK20 and Blackboard
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Proposal for an Organization Overhaul
$50.00Week 12 – Assignment: Signature Assignment: Develop a Proposal for an Organization Overhaul
Read the brief article, How Can You Create a Positive Organization?, found in the Books and Resources for this Week.
Assignment
In this signature assignment you are going to be writing a proposal to the leader of an organization. This leader has asked for proposals to suggest how to move their organization forward in a productive manner. You believe that this organization would flourish by overhauling their current mindset and adapting a positive psychology framework.
You may select an educational institution, a business, a volunteer organization, etc.
Make sure that the proposal contains the following sections:
-Introduction
-Positive psychology overview (e.g. history, key concepts, etc.).
-Application (show how positive psychology has been applied in other institutions, share
research on the impact of positive education, positive psychology in the workplace, etc ).
-Outline your plan for the organization (discuss what changes need to be made, be specific in
regards to what needs to be implemented to bring the organization in line with a positive
psychology framework).
-Challenges – Both to the overall field and to the specific organization (acknowledge the
challenges that have been faced by the field of positive psychology, discuss research that
refutes these challenges, and consider any unique challenges that might be faced by the
organization as they transition over to this new framework.)
-Future Directions (discuss both where the positive psychology field is heading and also make
predictions about changes that would occur specifically in that organization were they to
implement your proposal).
Conclusion.
The proposal should be 10-12 pages and incorporate at least 10 scholarly sources.
Your proposal should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic.
Signature Assignment: Future Directions
In the positive psychology movement we have seen a shift away from the disease model to a model that focuses on strengths and human flourishing. Positive psychologists have contributed to our knowledge on a whole range of important issues such as the relationship between positive emotions and physical health, the importance of social support, and our capacity to be resilient. However, the field has also faced challenges and questions remain as to the future direction of the field. This week you will read a diverse range of scholarly opinions on this topic that consider both the merits of positive psychology and the limitations that may prove challenging as we transition into the next era of modern psychology. Some psychologists believed that positive psychology would always have a short shelf life because the purpose was to redress the balance in traditional psychology and not to provide a new and competing field. These psychologists believed that once this had been achieved positive psychology would fade away. However, at this time positive psychology remains a considerable force.
In the signature assignment you will develop a business proposal for an organization to encourage them to adopt a positive framework. You will draw from your knowledge of the historical underpinnings of the field, key concepts of positive psychology, and potential future directions as you create this proposal. Research from the three pillars (positive emotions, positive traits, and positive institutions) will guide you as you formulate a plan to overhaul the current organizational model.
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Conduct Interviews on Positive Aging
$10.00Week 9 – Assignment: Conduct Interviews on Positive Aging
Recruit two participants that you can interview for this assignment. Both participants must be at least 50 years of age. Ideally the participants would be in different decades (e.g. perhaps one of your participants might be 55 and the other 75).
Using the research that you have conducted on positive aging create 5-10 questions designed to assess whether your participants are aging in a positive manner (e.g. mental health, physical health, cognitively, socially, economically, etc.). Include the following in your overview:
- Transcripts of the interviews
- Based on your research discuss what constitutes positive aging.
- Based on your research assess whether your participants seem to be aging in a positive fashion.
- Make suggestions and recommendations for your participants to increase their positive aging.
Use at least 3 scholarly sources.
Your transcripts and overview should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.
Aging is met with feelings of trepidation for some as they are concerned about potential deterioration in physical, cognitive, social, and psychological functioning. However, others are able to stay engaged in life as they age, view aging in a positive fashion, and take steps to maintain mental and physical health. This type of positive attitude towards aging is called positive aging. Research suggests that people who think positively about aging are more likely to live longer.
There are several strategies that people can employ to encourage positive aging, such as maintaining good nutrition, managing stress, keeping the brain active, etc. Positive aging has societal benefits in addition to improving quality of life for individuals on a physical and psychological scale.
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Debate about the Challenges Faced by Positive Psychology
$20.00Week 7 – Assignment: Prepare a Transcript of a Fictional Debate About the Challenges Faced by Positive Psychology
Instructions
Imagine that you are attending a psychology conference and you attend a session led by two distinguished researches in the field. The first researcher, Dr. Adams, is extolling the successes of positive psychology and contending that this field will continue to be a viable force in modern psychology. The second researcher, Dr. Hernandez, believes that there are many challenges faced by the field of positive psychology. The purpose of the session is to raise the challenges and listen to the arguments that are made to refute these issues.
You need to prepare a transcript of the debate that ensues between the two researchers. Each researcher has the opportunity to first explain their position (e.g. Dr. Adams will give a brief overview of why she supports positive psychology and Dr. Hernandez will give a brief overview of why he is skeptical of the field). They then have a dialogue raising points and counter points about the criticisms that have been leveled at the respective approaches.
- What challenges would Dr. Hernandez raise?
- How could Dr. Adams respond to these challenges?
You need to use at least 5 scholarly resources, including those you located last week. Make sure that you locate research that both supports and refutes each of the challenges.
Length: 4 pages
Your debate transcript should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.
This week you will learn about some of the challenges faced by the field of positive psychology. These challenges range from cultural to research to scope. For example, some contend that cultural context has been virtually ignored. What constitutes a positive emotion or trait in one culture is not necessarily the same in another.
From a research perspective, there have been concerns about the rigor of the research and the conclusions that are being drawn based on a relatively small number of self-reporting participants. It is important to remember that this is still a relatively new field. Scientific studies that assess the benefits of positive psychology (e.g. positive psychology interventions) are limited. This will change, but for some psychologists the jury is out on positive psychology until more scientific studies are published.
Still further concerns relate to the fact that positive psychology seems to extol the virtues of positive thinking without acknowledging the potential disadvantages (e.g. excessive positive thinking can lead to a disassociation from reality). Conversely negative thinking is discouraged when actually it might be beneficial for some (e.g. used as a protective factor). You will encounter additional challenges as you conduct your research this week.
Since the late 1990s there have been numerous positive psychology research studies, articles, intervention techniques, etc. Many researchers have embraced positive psychology and believe that it has enhanced modern psychology. However, other researchers have raised concerns about what they perceive to be flaws and weaknesses associated with positive psychology.
Some researchers object to what they believe is an over-simplification of positivity and negativity, specifically that thinking positively is good and thinking negatively is bad. There has been research that has documented the benefits of negative thinking for some. Moreover, psychologists have questioned the wisdom of instructing people to think positively to avoid problems or to cope with issues in their lives. Their concern lies in the fact that individuals who are not able to adopt this way of thinking may feel even worse about themselves because they are led to believe that they have the power to fix their issues and they are just not.
Another criticism levelled at positive psychologists is that it lacks cultural utility. Positive psychology was borne in an individualistic culture and the application of the premises of this field in other cultures (e.g. more collectivist cultures) simply might not be valid.
It is important to consider measurement and how positive psychologists have conducted their research. There has been concern that there has been an over-reliance on self-report measures in this field. Specifically, a lot of the data has been collected via asking people to complete questionnaires about themselves and these self-reports might not always be accurate.
It is important to always evaluate both the strengths and the weaknesses. In this part of class, you are going to delve deeper into some of these key criticisms and learn about how positive psychologists have responded.
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Stress Management and Resilience Brochure
$15.00Week 5 – Assignment: Create a Stress Management and Resilience Brochure
Before you begin your assignment watch the video, Enhancing Resilience, found in the Books and Resources for this Week.
Assignment
Imagine that you have been asked to develop a pamphlet about stress management and resilience for individuals with serious medical issues and their families. Your pamphlet should address the following:
- What is the impact of stress (physically and psychologically)?
- What are the benefits of resilience?
- What strategies can you suggest to cope with stress and to be more resilient
Make sure that your pamphlet incorporates at least 3 scholarly sources.
Your pamphlet should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.
Length: 3 pages
Stress has been viewed as resulting from negative emotions and poor coping strategies. Positive psychologists have focused on how we cope with stress and our ability to recover. Resilience refers to our capacity to withstand adversity. People are often impressed when they see examples of resilience, but we are all capable of being resilient. Positive psychology research has found that individuals who have more moments of positive emotions are able to increase their resilience. Individuals often experience post-traumatic growth after traumatic incidents meaning that rather than just surviving adversity we can actually achieve growth. Conquering challenges leads to a sense of satisfaction that enhances our wellbeing.
There are certain factors that seem to help people be resilient. Specifically, individuals who are able to view failures as learning opportunities are more likely to display resilience. Furthermore, having an optimistic attitude is also related to increased resilience. This week we will examine how we can use the tenets of positive psychology to handle stress and become more resilient.
Be sure to review this week’s resources carefully. You will be expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.
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Via Institute on Character website PPT
$40.00Instructions
Warm Up Activity 4.1
Go to The Via Institute on Character website, found in the Books and Resources for this Week, and learn about the VIA survey and character strengths and virtues.
Assignment
Imagine that you are a school counselor at a high school. You want to introduce a program that enables students to take the VIA youth survey, which is a version of the strengths survey designed specifically for children between the ages of 10 and 17. Students will then learn about their individual strengths and how they can apply them in areas of their lives (e.g. family relationships, future career directions, etc.).
You need to convince the school administration of the value of the new strengths program that you want to adopt. Create a PowerPoint that you are going to deliver to the school administration. Make sure that it includes the following:
- Introduce positive psychology and their ideas about the importance of character strengths.
- Explain the VIA survey (e.g. how was it created? What strengths does it assess? Etc.)
- Discuss how the VIA survey has been adapted for adolescents.
- Evaluate the potential value of your program for the students.
- Include specific examples of how strength knowledge might have a positive impact on specific aspects of the students’ lives.
Support your presentation with at least five references from peer-reviewed journal articles.
Length: 7-10 slides; expanded notes of 200-300 words
Positive traits have been an important area of research for positive psychologists. Researchers wanted to establish a list of character strengths that are considered stable positive traits across cultures. Positive psychologists distinguish between strengths and talents. Talents are considered to be innate whereas strengths can be selected and nurtured.
This week you will learn about a nonprofit research institute, the VIA Institute on Character. This institute has been responsible for administering the VIA survey created by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman to assess character strengths. This survey assesses 24 character strengths that are categorized under 6 essential virtues (wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence).
The strengths approach encourages individuals to identify their key character strengths. Individuals are then able to focus on these virtues and utilize their strengths to maximize success in many areas of their lives. When individuals play to their strengths they are more effective in the workplace and are more equipped to form close relationships. Character strengths can also protect us from mental illness.
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Understand the concept of breakeven points
$5.00Understand the concept of breakeven points DQ
Why is it important for managers to understand the concept of breakeven points? Are there any drawbacks to using break-even analysis? If so, explain. If not, explain.
Understand the concept of breakeven points DQ
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Debate Positive Psychology
$10.00Assignment
Your task this week is to join the debate on whether positive psychology is a new area of psychology or a reimagining of humanistic psychology?
Support your side with at least two references from scholarly resources.
Length: 1-2 pages
Week 1 – Assignment: Debate Positive Psychology as an updated version of Humanistic Psychology Instructions Warm-Up Activity 1.1 Read Martin Seligman’s presidential address (pages 559-562 only): Presidential Address
Warm-Up Activity 1.2
Psychologist Martin Seligman discusses the history of psychology and the role of positive psychology as we move into the future:Week 1 Assignment
Your task this week is to join the debate on whether positive psychology is a new area of psychology or a reimagining of humanistic psychology?
Support your side with at least two references from scholarly resources.
Length: 1-2 page
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Create a Scale Construction Proposal
$50.00Week 8 Assignment: Create a Scale Construction Proposal
Activity Description
For this task, complete the readings for this assignment, and then write a paper in which you complete the following:
- Write an introduction that examines the construct, its conceptual definition/s, and related concepts.
- Review the literature and the existing tools that measure the construct.
- Provide justification for your original scale.
- Discuss how you intend to construct the items, cognizant of the basic principles of item pool construction, the necessity of SMEs, the unidimensionality or multidimensionality of the construct, etc.
- Write at least 20 sample items that represent the construct you are planning to measure. You may construct negatively-worded items, but indicate these in a chart or table. If the construct you choose has two or more dimensions under it, write sample items indicating which items fall under which dimension. (See for example, the Life Position Scale that contained four dimensions I’m OK etc. at first, but after factor analysis the dimensions reduced to two—I and You.)
- Argue for a specific method of running an item analysis procedure.
- Argue for at least two specific methods of establishing your scale’s validity (Choose at least one method for construct validity, and another method for criterion-related validity. In criterion validation, it is not enough to simply write that you are planning to employ the method. Be sure to specify the variable(s) you will correlate your scale with.
Length: 10 pages
Your assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.
Learning Outcomes
3.0 Select methods used in the creation of items that measure psychological constructs.
4.0 Appraise different approaches to establishing item and instrument reliability.
5.0 Evaluate the different approaches to instrument validation.
6.0 Discriminate methods of establishing criterion or predictive validity.
Introduction:
Your proposal is similar to a research proposal that expresses intent to perform a scientific investigation. However, unlike a research proposal that first establishes the existence of a gap in the knowledge and proceeds to argue for a relationship between or among variables, the scale construction proposal is just a scaled-down manuscript that discusses your intention to construct a psychological scale.
Nevertheless, it should contain an introduction that discusses the construct of interest and a review of the existing tools created to measure it. It should also be ideal to explain why you intend to construct an original scale that measures your chosen construct or why the existing tools do not satisfy the purpose of your dissertation. What follows this should include specific methods that you will employ to construct the items, to weed out bad items and retain good ones, to establish item reliability and consistency, and a proposal to establish the scale’s validity. In establishing validity, you must be specific in the methods that you will employ and the variables that you will correlate with your chosen construct. Also, be specific in the variables that you expect to correlate highly with your construct and those that should yield weak correlations with it (as what you will expect in a Multi-trait, Multi-method matrix, page 287 in Kline).